Bodyweight Ring-grip pushup regressions

[Pasibrzuch]

Since I achieved 1ArmPU (not the SF standard, more of a "torsion" 1ArmPU), I thought I will go for a ring-grip pushup.
It's totally beyond my ability at the moment. What would be a realistic regression for this exercise?
My gueeses would be standard ring push-ups, then ring dips maybe?

 

[s f]

too much risk to reward.The ring slips--there goes the wrist,shoulder,etc.

 

[bluejeff]

yeah...that one is more of a "trick" than a useful training tool. If you want similar benefit with less risk, I suggest trying pushups on kettlebells (set them on the floor and use the handles) or using rings the way they are typically used.

 

[Ege]

All ring moves are great except the ones in the videos

Why not reach to SF OAPU standard? I believe SF BW techniques make the exercises much safer. A sloppy form, one arm push up can be dangerous for elbow, shoulders or wrists. If your muscles did not get strong enough to execute a strict push up, your tendons, ligaments etc for sure are not fully ready for the job.

 

[LarryB]

I think they’re dope, total body control and stability that a kb pushup just isn’t going to give. Not to mention grip strength. I like your regression ideas. Maybe work in other stability moves too; crow pose, handstand work, oaolp(lank), etc. I can see a slip up compromising safety but so does a tgu or an armbar.

 

[3letterslong]

I would go through the Convict Conditioning push-up progression with your body on top of the ring like that, starting with vertical push-ups against a wall. Keep us updated as you progress, I'm curious what you get out of it,

I played around with some strange ring pulls and pushes after I read Rings of Power from DragonDoor and their easiest ring row exposed a bizarre weakness in my left wrist.

 

[Pasibrzuch]

sloppy form, one arm push up can be dangerous for elbow, shoulders or wrists. If your muscles did not get strong enough to execute a strict push up, your tendons, ligaments etc for sure are not fully ready for the job.

I don't fully understand why a non-strict one-arm pushup is inherently detrimental to the body. Could you explain your standpoint? To be sure we're talking about the same thing, here's an example video (I mean body positioning of course, not the use of neuro-grips and medicine ball).

I see opinions on usefulness of the exercise are divided here. I got this idea since I noticed some people I follow doing push ups on neuro grips, which are not accessible in my country. However, I saw Daniel Strauss recently replacing neuro grips with two hammers. Do you think they would be safer than rings for the start?

 

[silveraw]

I see opinions on usefulness of the exercise are divided here. I got this idea since I noticed some people I follow doing push ups on neuro grips, which are not accessible in my country. However, I saw Daniel Strauss recently replacing neuro grips with two hammers. Do you think they would be safer than rings for the start?

This might be controversial, but I kind of thinking adding instability to a strength exercise makes it less effective to build strength. "you can't shoot a cannon from a canoe", if you are building a barge and aren't quite done, why would you shift over to a canoe without a good reason?

Adjusting leverages is great, adjusting stability without a solid reason is much less so and just arbitrarily increases the risk of an exercise while also reducing reward.

 

[John K]

This might be controversial, but I kind of thinking adding instability to a strength exercise makes it less effective to build strength. "you can't shoot a cannon from a canoe", if you are building a barge and aren't quite done, why would you shift over to a canoe without a good reason?

Adjusting leverages is great, adjusting stability without a solid reason is much less so and just arbitrarily increases the risk of an exercise while also reducing reward.

Yes, 100%, less stable = harder = less weight or reps at the same level. Ring pushups - or these neural doohickeys - are not regressions.

@Pasibrzuch the best regression will be increasing the height of the ring to where it is doable, and then lowering the ring height over time. You can essentially follow this program, just using rings instead.

A 6-Week Program to Master the OA/OAOL Push-up | StrongFirst

Mastery of the one-arm (OA) or one-arm one-leg push-up (OAOL) push-up will teach you many things about your body while providing surprising strength gains.

www.strongfirst.com

 

[LarryB]

This might be controversial, but I kind of thinking adding instability to a strength exercise makes it less effective to build strength. "you can't shoot a cannon from a canoe", if you are building a barge and aren't quite done, why would you shift over to a canoe without a good reason?

Adjusting leverages is great, adjusting stability without a solid reason is much less so and just arbitrarily increases the risk of an exercise while also reducing reward.

So the canoe is on an unstable surface, how do we MAKE it stable. Ignore it? Goal isn’t max strength in my opinion but max stability. Make your body able to flow from water to ice and then fire a cannon from it.

 

[silveraw]

So the canoe is on an unstable surface, how do we MAKE it stable. Ignore it?

Turn the canoe into a barge by working the basics!

But adding stability training should probably be done with some thought.

1 identify the specific stability issue that needs to be resolved and why.

2 address it directly.

That said generally building general strength with basic movements will take care of the majority of it. Eg pressing bodyweight overhead will build stability to press bodyweight overhead.

Here is a slightly absurd example. It’s your first day in the gym, you grab a barbell and squat. You are all wobbly and uncoordinated. What is the best way to stabilize it? Do you continue to practice the squat with the barbell? Or do you grab the earthquake bar and strap some bells to it hanging from bands to increase work in the stabilizers?

Doing a one arm push up on a ring is kind of a trick or feat. If you want to do it and work on it, that’s awesome. Learning fun impractical lifts is a good time. But that’s a whole different world from “I’m trying to get stronger, is this an appropriate progression?”

At one point I spent a lot of time working on a pistol box jump with a simultaneous one arm press. It was silly and dumb and didn’t get me any stronger. But I had a good time doing it.


Is it bad to have fun in your training? Nah do what you want. But if you want to do basic strength building, keep your eye on the goal. You will reach them faster and probably with less injury.

 

[mrdave100]

I think the same as bluejeff and s f, there comes a point of the risk outweighing the reward.

I have a question, if a person squats 300 lbs on a stable surface and 150 on an unstable surface and works up to a 500 lb squat, wouldn’t they be able to squat more on the unstable surface now as well? It seems to me it’s probably best to train the safest way as possible.

 

[GovernorSilver]

Dominik Sky wrote this in his Youtube video description:

"After I broke my finger in 2 places, my grip, my wrist mobility, and strength were terrible... I started doing some ring grip pushups"

Anyway, I'm guessing if you worked up to planche pushups first, then his exercise would be less risky for you because you'd already have good hand balancing skills from progressing to planche pushups.

 

[bluejeff]

I don't fully understand why a non-strict one-arm pushup is inherently detrimental to the body. Could you explain your standpoint? To be sure we're talking about the same thing, here's an example video (I mean body positioning of course, not the use of neuro-grips and medicine ball).

I see opinions on usefulness of the exercise are divided here. I got this idea since I noticed some people I follow doing push ups on neuro grips, which are not accessible in my country. However, I saw Daniel Strauss recently replacing neuro grips with two hammers. Do you think they would be safer than rings for the start?

I also don't think a non-strict one arm pushup is somehow dangerous, just like I don't think that flaring the elbows while doing pushups or something is dangerous. I'm of the opinion that the only dangerous exercise/movement is one that is loaded improperly, i.e. when the accumulated load is too much for the tissue to recover from.

I personally think that it would be good to know why you are interested in doing pushups on something unstable. I don't think there's a reason you should not do them, but as I said, I think that, depending on what exactly is being done, sometimes there is a greater degree of risk. So then, the question is "why are you interested in doing them?"

If you just think they are cool, or you just want to do them for your own reasons, I think that's fine. As @John K suggested (assuming I am understanding his intent correctly), I think the best way to progress would be by doing them on an incline first, then lowering over time. As for something like a hammer vs a ring, I think the only way to really know is to try (carefully )

 

[Hrungnir]

So the canoe is on an unstable surface, how do we MAKE it stable. Ignore it? Goal isn’t max strength in my opinion but max stability. Make your body able to flow from water to ice and then fire a cannon from it.

Mehmed didn’t blow through the Theodosian walls from a canoe.

Nelson didn’t win Trafalgar from a canoe.

I’m unsure of any major cannon deployments from canoes that were viewed as a success

 

[Ege]

I don't fully understand why a non-strict one-arm pushup is inherently detrimental to the body. Could you explain your standpoint? To be sure we're talking about the same thing, here's an example video (I mean body positioning of course, not the use of neuro-grips and medicine ball).

I see opinions on usefulness of the exercise are divided here. I got this idea since I noticed some people I follow doing push ups on neuro grips, which are not accessible in my country. However, I saw Daniel Strauss recently replacing neuro grips with two hammers. Do you think they would be safer than rings for the start?

This is not what I was referring to as “sloppy”. Thanks for sharing the video. What comes to my mind when I say sloppy I picture anything that one is clearly sacrificing the form and butchering the move indicating that they are not ready at all for the progression hence prone to injuries.

What we understand from the word “sloppy” might differ due to difference in experience as well. I am at “beginner” level at almost everything, so if I do sth sloppy it is “really “sloppy”.

 

[John K]

As @John K suggested (assuming I am understanding his intent correctly), I think the best way to progress would be by doing them on an incline first, then lowering over time.

Yup, you got it. If that’s what you want to do, that’s the best way to get into it.

 

[pet']

Hello,

My gueeses would be standard ring push-ups, then ring dips maybe?

I'd go for ring push ups (first on my knees if necessary). Then regular ring push ups. Possibly (and if necessary) ring push ups with elevated feet.

Along side this, I'd work on my grip / wrist strength:



Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Steve Freides]

Since I achieved 1ArmPU (not the SF standard, more of a "torsion" 1ArmPU), I thought I will go for a ring-grip pushup.
It's totally beyond my ability at the moment. What would be a realistic regression for this exercise?
My gueeses would be standard ring push-ups, then ring dips maybe?

I don't fully understand why a non-strict one-arm pushup is inherently detrimental to the body. Could you explain your standpoint? To be sure we're talking about the same thing, here's an example video (I mean body positioning of course, not the use of neuro-grips and medicine ball).

I see opinions on usefulness of the exercise are divided here. I got this idea since I noticed some people I follow doing push ups on neuro grips, which are not accessible in my country. However, I saw Daniel Strauss recently replacing neuro grips with two hammers. Do you think they would be safer than rings for the start?

I won't venture into the "is it good or not?" here except to say that, if you like it, if you don't get hurt doing it, which is the biggest "IF", if you don't hurt others doing it, and it doesn't make you weaker, I say you should go for it.

It must be said that the floor surface material and the ring material are going to be noticeable variables here. Some kind of slightly sticky floor surface with a little, but not too much, give will make this at least a little less difficult.

My vote goes to the renegade row. (Renegade Row - caps?) The risk of injury exists there, too, without a doubt, but some of the tips and tricks for that movement will help you with your ring pushups. And - don't say you heard it from me, please - you could use lighter and lighter kettlebells, which would provide less and less stability, as your progression. And just like the starting position of a Renegade Row is also a place from which you can do a 2-handed pushup, doing that will also help you towards your 2-handed ring pushup. Let's note however, that the only resemblance to a Renegade Row is, well, there isn't, really. You're just using kettlebell instead of rings for your pushups.

If you could find smaller rings, that would also be a progression to bigger ones. E.g., try the wheels from an ab wheel you can disassemble. They'll be more stable than rings.

The funniest thing about all this for me was right at the beginning, as the guy in the video was saying he used these to recovery from broken fingers, an injury you could 'achieve' by doing all these things, not to mention broken wrists, face plants.

-S-